\     ■; 


On 


WHY     DO    THE 
GOOD  SUFFER? 

A  MEDITATION  SUGGESTED  BY 
THE  BOOK  OF  JOB 


.  ^mi\i  su^ 


V 


BY 


VINCENT  RAVI-BOOTH,  M.A.,  D.D. 

Minister  of  the  First  Congregational  Church  of 
Old  Bennington,  Vermont 


BOSTON 

RICHARD  G.   BADGER 

THE    GORHAM    PRESS 


Copyright,  1920,  by  Vincent  Ravi-Booth 


All  Rights  Reserved 


Made  in  the  United  States  of  America 


The  Gorham  Press,  Boston,  U.  S.  A. 


These  pages  are  dedicated  to  the  memory  of  a 
lovely  little  girl,  sixteen  years  of  age  when  she  went 
hence,  stricken  with  a  terrible  and  mysterious 
disease,  the  only  case,  save  one,  in  the  medical 
annals  of  the  state  of  Massachusetts. 


*'For  the  thing  which  I  fear  cometh  upon  me, 
And  that  which  I  am  afraid  of  cometh  unto  me, 
I  am  not  at  ease,  neither  am  I  quiet,  neither  have 

1  rest; 
But  trouble  cometh/^    Job  j:2^-26. 

^^For  he  breaketh  me  with  a  tempest, 
And  7?iultiplieth  my  wounds  without  cause. 
He  will  not  sitffer  me  to  take  my  breath. 
But  filleth  me  with  bitterness J^    Job  g:i7,  i8. 


WHY  DO  THE  GOOD  SUFFER? 


WHY  DO  THE  GOOD  SUFFER? 


The  maladjustment  between  character  and  cir- 
cumstance did  not  escape  the  early  religious 
teachers  of  Israel.  Repeatedly  throughout  the 
Old  Testament,  but  especially  in  the  book  of 
Psalms,  the  question  is  raised,  '*Why  do  the  good 
suffer?"  and  mighty  efforts  are  put  forth  to 
answer  it.^ 

However,  the  book  of  Job  is  the  most  elab- 
orate attempt  in  the  Scriptures  to  find  the  final 
answer  to  this  question. 

The  book  consists  of  forty-two  chapters.  Very 
few  people  take  the  trouble  to  read  them  through. 
Let  us  frankly  admit  that  they  are  tedious  for  the 
most  part.  There  is  endless  repetition,  and  in- 
conclusive argument,  but  out  of  the  mass  of 
words  and  strange  twists  of  oriental  reasoning 

^Prov.  23:17-18;  Ps.  37:1-2;  Ps.  73:3-5;  Ps.  73:17-18. 

9 


lo  Why  Do  the  Good  Sufferf 

the  earnest  student  may  rescue  many  priceless 
gems  of  satisfying  truth. 

Why  do  the  good  suffer? 

(i)  They  suffer,  replies  the  unknown  author 
of  this  sacred  drama,  in  order  that  their  honesty, 
sincerity,  disinterestedness  may  be  established  be- 
yond question. 

In  the  prologue  Satan  is  represented  as  coming 
into  the  presence  of  Jehovah  "from  going  to  and 
fro  in  the  earth,  and  from  walking  up  and  down 
in  it."  2 

And  Jehovah  inquires  of  Satan  if  he  has  taken 
notice  of  the  integrity  of  his  servant  Job,  "one 
that  feareth  God,  and  turneth  away  from  evil." 

Satan  replies  that  he  has;  but  then,  with  a 
sneer,  asks  a  question  overflowing  with  vile  in- 
sinuation: 

*'Doth  Job  fear  God  for  nought?"  ^ 

The  unmistakable  inference  is  that  he  serves 
God  because  it  pays.  With  the  Almighty  as  a 
silent  partner.  Job  has  succeeded  in  accumulating 
a  vast  fortune,  in  establishing  a  great  family,  in 

'Job  1:7. 
'Job  1:9. 


Why  Do  the  Good  Sufferf  ii 

entrenching  himself  In  power.  Who  would  not 
serve  Jehovah  to  get  all  this?  But  let  the  Lord 
strip  Job  of  all  he  has,  let  him  leave  his  ob- 
sequious servant  a  broken  and  despised  creature, 
and  then  it  will  become  evident  why  Job  renders 
lip  praise  to  his  God  In  the  days  of  his  prosperity. 

God  knows  that  Satan  Is  merely  expressing  his 
Satanic  personality  in  these  dark  insinuations. 
But  the  heavenly  court,  and  mortal  man,  and  the 
black  creatures  who  dwell  in  darkness,  lacking 
omniscience,  do  not  know  how  deep  the  roots  of 
righteousness  have  penetrated  the  being  of  Job. 
Job  himself  is  not  aware  of  the  strength  of  his 
will  and  purpose,  nor  does  he  suspect  how  inex- 
haustible and  how  tender  are  the  consolations  of 
God.  Therefore  Jehovah  permits  Satan  to  work 
his  will  on  the  Hebrew  patriarch.  And  when  this 
man,  who  has  always  feared  God  and  turned 
away  from  evil,  disfigured  and  tormented  by 
disease,  is  abandoned  on  an  ash  heap  outside  the 
city  wall,  Jehovah's  confidence  In  him  is  vindi- 
cated.    Far  from  heeding  his  wife's  advice, 

*'Dost  thou  still  hold  fast  thine  integrity?  curse 
God  and  die,"  * 

*Job  2:9. 


12  Why  Do  the  Good  Suffer? 

we  hear  him,  amidst  his  sobs,  restating  the  funda- 
mentals of  his  faith: 

"What,  shall  we  receive  good  at  the  hands  of 
God,  and  shall  we  not  receive  evil?"  ^ 

"Naked  came  I  out  of  my  mother's  womb,  and 
naked  shall  I  return  thither:  the  Lord  gave,  and 
the  Lord  hath  taken  away;  blessed  be  the  name 
of  the  Lord!"« 

"Though  he  slay  me,  yet  will  I  trust  him!"  '^ 

Yes,  there  is  such  a  thing  as  disinterested  good- 
ness; there  are  folks, — not  many,  but  still  a  con- 
siderable number, — who  will  serve  God  even  if  it 
does  not  pay  I 

(2)    Why  do  the  good  suffer? 

In  order  that  the  sediment  of  sin  in  their  souls 
may  be  consumed  as  with  fire,  answers  the  book 
of  Job.8 

It  is  one  thing  to  be  good,  it  is  another  to  be 
perfect.  Even  in  good  men  there  is  a  deposit  of 
evil, — a  little  pride,  or  arrogance,  or  vanity,  or 

"Job  2:10. 
"Job  1:21. 
'Job  13:15. 
Job  5:17-18;   10:4-7;   11:13-14;   13:23;  22:4;  23:10;  23:1-28; 

33:23-28;  34:15-16. 


Why  Do  the  Good  Suffer?  13 

selfishness;  a  little  jealousy,  or  avarice,  or  cruelty, 
or  passionate  desire.  Therefore  we  hear  the 
Psalmist  pray: 

"Who  can  discern  his  errors? 

Cleanse  thou  me  from  secret  faults. 

Keep  back  thy  servant  also  from  presumptuous 

sins ; 
Let  them  not  have  dominion  over  me: 
Then  shall  I  be  upright, 
And  I  shall  be  clear  from  great  trangression.^'  ^ 

Good  men  are  keenly  conscious  of  their  short- 
comings. They  are  aware  of  the  glorious  good- 
ness of  God,  hence  their  defects  of  character  take 
on  hideous  proportions  by  comparison  with  the 
divine  effulgence.  Listen  to  Isaiah  as  he  humbles 
himself  in  the  presence  of  the  Lord  seated  upon  a 
throne,  high  and  lifted  up : 

"Woe  is  me!  for  I  am  undone;  because  I  am  a 
man  of  unclean  lips,  and  I  dwell  in  the  midst  of 
a  people  of  unclean  lips :  for  mine  eyes  have  seen 
the  King,  Jehovah  of  hosts."  ^^ 

Listen  to  Paul, 

"Ps.  19:12-13. 
"Isa.  6:5. 


14  Why  Do   the  Good  Suffer? 

''O  wretched  man  that  I  am !  who  shall  deliver 
me  out  of  the  body  of  this  death?"  ^^ 

And  this  sediment  of  sin  deflects  the  arrow  of 
the  good  man's  purpose  from  the  ideal  goal  even 
as  the  iron  in  a  ship  deflects  the  needle  in  the  com- 
pass, compelling  the  mariner  to  make  corrections 
in  his  calculations. 

Now,  in  order  that  the  good  man  may  pass 
from  goodness  to  perfection,  God  leads  him 
through  the  hot  fires  of  adversity,  that  the  purify- 
ing flame  may  destroy  the  last  remnant  of  sin, 
leaving  behind  the  pure  gold  of  character  to  shine 
on  for  ever. 

(3)    Why  do  the  good  suffer? 

In  order  that  the  moral  law  may  be  exalted  and 
firmly  established  in  the  reckoning  of  man,  is  the 
third  answer  of  the  book  of  Job.^^ 

If  one  grants  that  there  is  a  sediment  of  sin 
in  the  good,  it  follows  that  even  good  men  at- 
tempt to  violate  the  laws  of  God.  This  is  a  pretty 
good  definition  of  sin,  the  attempt  to  violate  the 
moral  law.  We  carelessly  say  that  sin  is  the 
violation  of  the  moral  law.     But  no  one  has  ever 

"  Rom.  7 :24. 

"Job  4:8-10;  6:4;   9:1-4;  22:21-30. 


Why  Do  the  Good  Suffer?  15 

successfully  violated  any  of  God's  laws,  whether 
natural  or  spiritual.  The  Titanic  attempted  to 
steam  through  a  field  of  ice,  and  straightway  went 
to  the  bottom  with  its  priceless  cargo.  The  sin- 
ner attempts  to  ignore  the  Divine  Will,  and 
straightway  comes  to  grief. 

''Be  not  deceived;  God  is  not  mocked:  for 
whatsoever  a  man  soweth,  that  shall  he  also 
reap."  ^^ 

And  God  can  not  ignore  the  sin  of  the  good 
man,  any  more  than  He  can  ignore  the  sin  of  the 
sinner,  without  stultifying  Himself.  Natural  and 
spiritual  law  is  sacred  because  it  is  the  expression 
of  the  Creator's  character.  Therefore  the  good 
man,  even  as  the  bad  man,  damages  himself  in 
proportion  to  the  impetus  Vv^ith  which  he  collides 
with  the  Divine  Nature.  A  good  father  punishes 
his  boy  when  disobedient,  not  because  he  considers 
him  depraved  (the  father  would  be  the  first  one 
to  resent  the  imputation)  but  that  the  child  may 
from  the  very  beginning  realize  that  the  moral 
law  is  inexorable  and  supreme. 

Here  and  there  in  the  book  of  Job  there  are 

"Gal.  6:7. 


1 6  Why  Do  the  Good  Suffer? 

hints  to  the  effect  that  when  the  good  man  sins 
he  should  be  punished  even  more  severely  than 
the  wicked;  for  having  made  professions  of 
allegiance  to  the  Divine  Will,  through  his  fault 
the  moral  law  is  brought  into  contempt. 

"He  is  chastened  also  with  pain  upon  his  bed, 
And  with  continual  strife  in  his  bones ; 
So  that  his  life  abhorreth  bread, 
And  his  soul  dainty  food."  ^^ 

These  then  are  the  three  reasons  advanced  by 
the  author  of  the  book  of  Job  in  explanation  of 
the  suffering  of  the  good.  They  suffer  in  order 
that  their  honesty,  sincerity,  disinterestedness 
may  be  established  beyond  question;  they  suffer 
that  they  may  pass  from  goodness  to  perfection ; 
they  suffer  in  order  that  the  inviolability  and 
sacredness  of  the  divine  law,  which  is  the  expres- 
sion of  the  Divine  Nature,  may  be  made  manifest. 

"Job  33:20. 


II 


And  yet  the  argument  is  Incomplete.  When 
the  last  word  of  the  book  of  Job  is  reached  the 
aching  void  in  the  inquirer's  heart  is  not  filled. 
We  must  look  elsewhere  for  a  truer  answer,  we 
must  search  deeper. 

Why  do  the  good  suffer? 

Because  man  is  finite  in  knowledge,  hence  he 
learns  through  experience.  We  are  moving  out 
of  darkness  into  light,  paying  as  we  go.  And 
the  price  has  been,  and  is,  frightful ! 

If  the  reader  of  these  pages  should  turn  to  Sir 
Hugh  Clifford's  fascinating  book,  ''The  Further 
Side  of  Silence,"  ^  he  would  gain  a  tolerably  fair 
idea  of  the  progress  achieved  by  the  race  to  which 
he  belongs.  Who  can  estimate  the  distance 
separating  us  from  the  naked  brown  men  of  the 
Malay  Peninsula,  dwelling  in  the  forest,  swinging 
from  branch  to  branch  like  their  first  cousins,  the 

*  "The  Further  Side  of  Silence,"  by  Sir  Hugh  Clifford,  Double- 
day,  Page  &  Co.,  1917. 

17 


1 8  Why  Do  the  Good  Suffer ? 

apes,  sleeping  In  the  ashes  of  their  camp  fires, 
the  pitiful  victims  of  superstitious  fears  awakened 
by  the  moaning  of  the  wind  and  the  howling  of 
the  man-eating  tiger ! 

There  was  a  time,  hundreds  of  thousands  of 
years  in  the  dim  past,  when  the  human  beings 
from  whom  we  have  sprung  resembled  these  tree 
dwellers.  And  the  reason  we  are  not  swinging 
like  them  from  branch  to  branch,  but  are  living 
a  complex  civilized  life  in  which  the  school,  the 
hospital,  the  library,  the  printing  press,  steam  and 
electricity,  not  to  mention  the  church,  loom  so 
large,  is  that  countless  generations  preceding  us 
have  explored  the  mysterious  and  thorny  path  of 
life,  leaving  behind  for  our  guidance  priceless  ex- 
periences recorded  in  crimson  characters. 

At  inestimable  cost  man  has  become  acquainted 
with  the  laws  which  safeguard  life  when  obeyed, 
and  destroy  it  when  discarded.  There  was  a 
time  when  man  in  the  presence  of  disease  was  as 
helpless  as  a  three-hour  babe  confronted  by  a 
raging  bull.  He  knew  nothing  of  bacteria,  infec- 
tion, contagion.  He  saw  his  child  well  to-day  and 
dead  to-morrow.  No  wonder  that  he  succumbed 
to  the  fear  of  evil  spirits  populating  the  forest, 


Why  Do  the  Good  Suffer?  19 

or  even  animating  beasts,  reptiles  and  stones!  If 
only  he  had  possessed  the  modern  piercing  eye, 
which  we  call  the  microscope,  he  would  have  dis- 
covered the  existence  of  an  invisible  microcosm 
full  of  devils  to  which  we  give  the  names  of 
germs,  bacteria,  and  microbes ! 

No  longer  in  a  civilized  community  do  we  fear 
cholera,  bubonic  plague,  diphtheria,  typhoid  and 
yellow  fever.  Even  tuberculosis  can  be  con- 
quered, if  taken  in  time.  Thus  one  of  the  great 
causes  of  human  suffering,  disease  and  premature 
death,  is  being  eliminated.  The  discovery  of 
ether  as  an  anaesthetic,  of  bacteria,  of  antisepsis 
and  asepsis,  of  X-ray,  have  made  modern  surgery 
possible.  And  modern  surgery  is  robbing  the 
grave  of  many  of  its  intended  victims. 

We  learn  through  experience.  Being  finite  In 
everything,  we  can  not  know  the  end  from  the 
beginning.  We  must  take  one  step  at  a  time. 
And  frequently  we  step  in  the  wrong  direction. 

Some  good  men  are  very  foolish.  In  moments 
of  carelessness  they  do  things  which  end  in  dis- 
aster. 

Here  Is  a  devoted  father,  very  much  absorbed 
In  the  problems  of  his  profession.     His  mind  Is 


20  Why  Do  the  Good  Sufferf 

far  away  as  he  slams  the  door  of  his  automobile, 
and  incidentally  cuts  off  two  fingers  from  his  little 
daughter's  hand.  A  year  passes.  Once  more  In 
an  absent-minded  spell  this  affectionate  father 
slams  the  door  of  his  automobile.  This  time  three 
fingers  come  off  the  baby's  hand.  Will  any  one 
venture  to  suggest  that  somehow  the  Father  In 
heaven  should  have  forestalled  the  action  of  the 
good  but  careless  parent  on  earth? 

Here  Is  a  very  good  man  driving  his  automo- 
bile. He  becomes  aware  that  his  gasolene  is 
almost  spent.  He  stops  at  the  nearest  garage  to 
secure  a  fresh  supply.  It  is  night,  therefore  he 
can  not  see  how  nearly  full  his  tank  Is.  Instead 
of  feeling  with  his  fingers,  he  strikes  a  match, 
holds  it  over  the  mouth  of  the  tank,  and  peers  in. 
There  is  a  violent  explosion.  Both  the  automo- 
bile and  the  holder  of  the  match  are  blown  across 
the  road;  and,  worse  yet,  the  innocent  garage 
proprietor  Is  enveloped  in  a  sheet  of  flame. 

What  else  could  happen?  W^hen  a  match  is 
held  over  the  fumes  of  gasolene  It  must  explode, 
or  it  ceases  to  be  gasolene.  The  character  and 
record  of  the  holder  of  the  match  can  not  be 
taken    into    consideration.     Should   the    Creator 


Why  Do  the  Good  Suffer?  21 

make  exceptions  In  favor  of  good  men  who  for 
the  moment,  In  Dante's  words,  have  lost. 

".  .  .  11  ben  deirintelletto" 

the  boon  of  reason.  His  universe  would  collapse 
In  confusion. 

These  are  some  of  the  foolish  things  which 
good  men  do  In  moments  of  mental  aberration, 
to  their  sorrow  and  regret. 

But  then  good  men  are  led  Into  error  under 
the  most  perplexing  and  baffling  circumstances. 
If  only  they  could  see  the  end  from  the  beginning, 
how  differently  would  they  plan  and  act! 

They  have  taken  counsel  of  their  wisest  friends 
before  embarking  on  a  momentous  undertaking, 
they  have  lifted  their  plans  upon  the  wings  of 
prayer  to  the  Throne  of  Grace,  only  to  find  when 
irrevocably  committed  to  the  enterprise  that  they 
are  moving  in  a  blind  alley,  yes,  that  they  are 
confronted  by  a  stone  wall.  And  then  In  humilia- 
tion these  good  people  have  no  choice  but  to 
retrace  their  steps,  and  start  afresh  oppressed  by 
the  consciousness  of  failure. 

And  It  is  seldom  that  one  may  use  to  advantage 
the  experience  acquired  at  frightful  cost,  simply 


22  Why  Do  the  Good  Sufferf 

because  the  identical  combination  of  circumstances 
never  returns.  At  this  point  we  are  face  to  face 
with  one  of  the  chief  arguments  for  immortality. 
Surely  sometime,  somewhere,  the  good  Heavenly 
Father  will  give  us  an  opportunity  to  invest  in  a 
glorious  enterprise,  which  shall  know  no  failure, 
the  experience  for  which  we  have  paid  with 
bloody  sweat  and  with  groanings  that  can  not  be 
uttered ! 


Ill 


But  we  must  search  deeper  for  the  most  satis- 
fying answer  to  the  question,  Why  do  the  good 
suffer? 

Not  in  the  book  of  Job,  but  in  the  writings  of 
the  Great  Unknown  prophet  of  the  Babylonian 
exile;  or,  better  still,  in  the  sayings  of  Jesus  of 
Nazareth,  is  found  the  clearest  answer  to  this 
momentous  question.  Since  the  book  of  Job  was 
written  searchers  after  God  have  discovered  that 
life  is  vicarious. 

Vicarious  means  to  change  places,  to  act  or 
suffer  for  another,  to  endure  the  consequences  of 
an  action  or  situation  for  which  the  victim  is  not 
responsible. 

And  life  is  vicarious,  both  negatively  and  posi- 
tively. 

Negatively,  since  multitudes  are  the  unwilling 
and  protesting  victims  of  the  sins  and  blunders  of 
others.  With  them  it  is  not  a  matter  of  choice, — 
they  simply  can  not  help   themselves,   for  they 

23 


24  Why  Do  the  Good  Suffer? 

stand  directly  across  the  path  of  the  wicked  or  of 
fools  as  they  sweep  on  to  destruction.  Illustra- 
tions abound. 

Here  is  a  little  child  suffering  from  a  frightful 
nervous  disorder :  here  is  another  threatened  with 
blindness :  here  is  a  boy,  dull  and  stupid,  who 
looks  out  upon  the  world  with  the  vacant  stare 
of  the  cow  in  the  fields.  Why  all  this  misery? 
Surely  these  little  ones  have  not  sinned  so  griev- 
ously as  to  deserve  such  punishment ! 

The  answer  is  not  far  to  seek.  They  are  suffer- 
ing vicariously.  Their  fathers,  or  grandfathers, 
or  great-grandfathers  before  them  have  been 
great  sinners,  setting  at  nought  the  command- 
ments of  God.  The  terrible  law  of  heredity 
which,  like  an  angel  with  flaming  sword,  stands 
watch  over  the  human  race,  stamping  out  what- 
ever makes  for  degeneracy  and  death,  and  en- 
couraging whatever  makes  for  strength  and  life, 
— is  clearly  set  forth  in  one  of  the  ten  words  of 
Moses: 

"Visiting  the  iniquities  of  the  fathers  upon  the 
children,  unto  the  third  and  fourth  generation  of 
them   that  hate   Me;   and  showing  mercy  unto 


Why  Do  the  Good  Suffer?  25 

thousands  of  them  that  love  Me  and  keep  My 
commandments."  ^ 

Here  is  a  middle-aged  woman  in  a  humble 
home.  She  must  rise  before  the  break  of  day  to 
attend  to  her  children's  needs.  After  doing  a 
fair  day's  work,  she  must  go  out  to  earn  her  liv- 
ing sweeping,  washing,  scrubbing.  But  two  frail 
hands  can  not  earn  enough  to  pay  for  the  food, 
clothing,  and  shelter  of  a  large  family.  Hence 
the  oldest  daughter  must  come  out  of  the  high 
school  and  go  into  the  mill.  Even  then  the  com- 
bined efforts  of  mother  and  daughter  are  barely 
sufficient  to  secure  the  necessities,  not  to  mention 
the  luxuries  which  are  part  of  the  comfort  and 
satisfaction  of  a  cosy  home. 

Why  so  much  misery?  Because  the  head  of  the 
family  is  dissipated.  He  has  cultivated  the  taste 
for  strong  drink  until  now  he  is  no  longer  the 
master  of  his  soul.  Much  of  the  time  he  lies  in 
a  drunken  stupor,  and  it  is  an  open  question 
whether  he  is  not  less  trouble  when  intoxicated 
than  when  sober,  clamoring  for  more  drink. 
Thus  the  innocent  suffer  vicariously. 

*  Exodus  20:5-6. 


26  Why  Do  the  Good  Sufferf 

This  negative  aspect  of  the  vicariousness  of  life 
is  summed  up  in  the  words  of  Paul  when  he  writes 
to  the  Rornans: 

^'For  none  of  us  liveth  to  himself,  and  none 
dieth  to  himself."  ^ 

Which  means  that  our  spirit  and  conduct  affect 
for  weal  or  for  woe  other  lives.  And  this  realiza- 
tion that  our  destinies  are  inextricably  inter- 
twined, so  that  we  stand  or  fall  together,  should 
hold  us  with  an  iron  grip  in  the  path  of  duty  and 
of  honor,  lest  by  reason  of  our  sin  or  folly  we 
should  add  to  the  mass  of  human  wreckage 
strewn  along  the  shores  of  time. 

The  world  war  has  multiplied  by  the  million 
the  ranks  of  the  vicarious  but  protesting  sufferers 
of  the  world.  Did  the  people  of  Belgium  or 
Northern  France,  who  were  swept  by  the  field- 
gray  legions  pouring  out  of  Germany,  even  as 
falling  leaves  are  blown  by  autumnal  winds, — 
did  they  have  anything  to  say  as  to  whether  there 
should  or  should  not  be  a  great  war  within  their 
borders?  And  so  with  all  the  wretched  nations 
in  Europe  or  in  Asia  whose  lands  have  trembled 

'Rom.  14:7. 


Why  Do   the  Good  Siiferf  .27 

to  the  tramp  of  marching  millions,  to  the  thunder 
of  artillery,  to  the  crash  of  engines  of  war!  Oh, 
the  innocent  victims  of  the  last  six  years !  Who 
can  number  them  as  their  bones  lie  rotting  in  the 
shallow  graves  of  half  a  thousand  battlefields,  or 
strewn  across  the  sands  of  the  Syrian  desert,  or 
forgotten  at  the  bottom  of  the  restless  sea ! 

So  much  for  vicariousness  in  its  negative  as- 
pects. 

How  glorious  life  may  become  is  not  apparent 
until  we  consider  vicariousness  on  its  positive  side. 

We  have  seen  that  some  people  suffer  under 
protest:  they  are  overtaken  by  the  wicked  or 
fools  as  they  move  on  to  destruction,  even  as  the 
fisherman  on  the  rocks  sometimes  is  overtaken 
by  the  swiftly  rising  tide. 

But  then  on  the  other  hand,  there  is  that  vast 
multitude,  which  no  man  can  number,  who  have 
offered  themselves  a  living  sacrifice  in  the  hope 
that,  through  their  labor  of  love,  the  innocent 
may  be  shielded,  and  the  lost  may  be  found  and 
saved. 

Let  the  reader  picture  a  mother  and  her  daugh- 
ter, both  utterly  broken  in  health,  and  one  of 
them  prematurely  brought  to  the  brink  of  the 


28  Why  Do  the  Good  Sufferf 

grave.  What  has  reduced  them  to  this  pitiable 
condition?  Anxiety  for  an  only  son  and  brother 
whom  they  have  loved  with  a  consuming  love. 
When  he  was  a  babe  his  little  sister  voluntarily 
would  sit  by  his  crib  hour  after  hour  quietly  rock- 
ing her  doll,  uttering  not  a  sound,  lest  she  should 
disturb  the  slumber  of  her  angel  brother.  And 
as  the  years  pass  this  sister's  affection,  far  from 
cooling,  grows  greater,  and  deeper,  and  more 
sacrificial. 

At  last  the  time  comes  for  this  baby  boy  grown 
to  be  a  youth,  to  enter  college.  There  he  forms 
the  wrong  kind  of  friendships,  gradually  he 
acquires  the  taste  for  strong  drink,  until  liquor 
becomes  his  relentless  master,  driving  him  to  per- 
dition. Morning  after  morning  he  staggers  home 
shamefully  drunk,  only  to  find  his  mother  sitting 
in  an  arm  chair  by  the  window.  And  when  the 
fumes  and  fury  of  the  demon  of  drink  have 
given  way  to  reason  and  penitence,  the  remorse- 
ful son  pleads  with  his  mother  not  to  wear  herself 
out  on  his  account, — never  again  to  sit  up  waiting 
for  him  to  come  home.  And  the  broken-hearted 
mother  replies  with  never-failing  patience :  "My 
son,  some  one  must  go  to  the  wall  on  your  ac- 


Why  Do  the  Good  Suffer?  29 

count, — why  not  I?  If  by  sitting  up  until  day- 
break I  can  bring  you  home  fifteen  minutes  sooner 
than  you  would  return  otherwise,  I  shall  sit  up  all 
night  every  night  that  you  are  out  of  the  house  1" 
Which  reminds  us  of  the  prophet's  cry: 

"How  shall  I  give  thee  up,  Ephraim? 
How  shall  I  cast  thee  off,  Israel?"  ^ 

And  then  from  time  to  time  there  arises  some 
great  man  who  deliberately  plunges  into  a  sea  of 
trouble,  utterly  careless  of  consequences  to  him- 
self if  through  his  burning  words  and  ceaseless 
effort  he  may  defend  a  righteous  cause,  a  priceless 
principle,  a  sovereign  ideal. 

Thus  all  the  prophets  of  Israel  suffered  vicari- 
ously. Did  Isaiah  deserve  to  be  sawn  asunder 
like  a  log?  Did  Jeremiah  deserve  to  be  cast  into 
a  filthy  dungeon,  and  later  did  he  deserve  to  be 
dragged  into  Egypt,  there  to  perish  miserably? 
It  is  only  necessary  to  state  the  question  to  know 
how  it  should  be  answered.  Both  men  perished 
because  the  consuming  passion  of  their  souls  was 
to  redeem  Israel!  What  did  it  matter  to  Moses, 
Joshua,    Samuel,   Elijah,   Amos,   Hosea,    Micah, 

'  Hosea  11:8. 


30  Why  Do  the  Good  Suffer? 

whether  they  lived  or  whether  they  died,  so  long 
as  through  their  life  and  death  the  people  of  God 
were  assisted  to  pass  from  death  unto  life  I 

But  the  Prince  of  all  vicarious  sufferers  is  Jesus 
of  Nazareth. 

*'He  saved  others,  Himself  He  can  not  save !"  * 

These  words  were  spoken  in  derision  by  the 
chief  priests  and  senseless  onlookers  surging 
around  the  cross.  But  even  though  they  were 
intended  to  express  cutting  irony,  never  has  a 
truer  saying  passed  the  lips  of  mortal  man. 

Jesus  hung  from  the  cross  for  the  simple  rea- 
son that  the  overmastering  passion  of  His  mind 
and  heart  was  to  save.  This  passion  drove  Him 
out  of  the  seclusion  and  safety  of  His  mountain 
home  into  the  world  of  strife  and  hatred.  The 
text  of  His  first  sermon,  preached  in  the  syna- 
gogue of  Nazareth  at  the  beginning  of  His  career 
sounded  the  key-note  of  His  ministry. 

"The  Spirit  of  the  Lord  is  upon  me. 
Because  he  anointed  me  to  preach  good  tidings  to 
the  poor; 

*Mark  15:31. 


Why  Do  the  Good  Suffer?  31 

He  has  sent  me  to  proclaim  release  to  the  cap- 
tives, 
And  recovering  of  sight  to  the  blind, 
To  set  at  liberty  them  that  are  bruised, 
To  proclaim  the  acceptable  year  of  the  Lord."  ^ 

The  poor,  the  captives,  the  blind,  the  bruised, — 
these  are  to  be  the  special  objects  of  His  care! 
Repeatedly  we  hear  Him  defending  His  practice 
of  associating  with  publicans  and  sinners. 

''They  that  are  whole  have  no  need  of  a  phy- 
sician, but  they  that  are  sick  .  .  .  for  I  came  not 
to  call  the  righteous  but  sinners  to  repentance."  ^ 

And  thus  we  see  Him  going  up  and  down  the 
highways  and  byways  of  Palestine  crying  out  to 
all  who  have  ears  to  hear: 

"Come  unto  me  all  ye  that  labour  and  are 
heavy  laden,  and  I  will  give  you  rest!"  ^ 

But  how  is  Jesus  going  to  save  unless  He 
speaks  the  truth?  Men  are  saved  through  the 
truth. 

'  Luke  4:18-19. 
"Luke  5:31. 
'Matt.  11:28. 


32  Why  Do  the  Good  Sufferf 

*Te  shall  know  the  truth,  and  the  truth  shall 
make  you  free."  ^ 

Jesus  must  speak  the  truth  about  God.  Who 
is  God? 

"God  is  like  us,"  reply  the  blind  leaders  of  the 
blind;  a  super-scribe,  a  Pharisee  raised  to  the  nth 
power.  He  is  seated  on  a  throne  above  the 
heavens,  and  mortal  man  can  do  nothing  with 
Him  except  through  priest  and  sacrifice.  He 
thinks  so  much  of  the  sacred  law  that  He  spends 
six  hours  out  of  every  twenty-four  meditating 
upon  it.  He  keeps  a  sharp  lookout  to  make  sure 
that  His  people  do  not  overlook  any  of  the  minute 
requirements  of  the  Talmud.     Such  is  God ! 

"Not  so!"  says  Jesus.  God  is  the  infinite, 
heavenly  Father,  whose  moral  nature  is  expressed 
in  perfect  holiness  and  perfect  love.  Holy  love 
can  not  fail  to  discharge  its  sacred  obligations. 
Therefore  God  is  in  honor  bound  to  meet  the 
need  of  those  whom  He  has  created  in  His  own 
image.  The  attitude  of  the  father  in  the  parable 
of  the  prodigal  son,  of  the  shepherd  in  the  par- 
able of  the  lost  sheep,  of  the  housewife  in  the 
"John  8:32. 


Why  Do  the  Good  Suffer?  33 

parable  of  the  lost  coin,  reveals  the  heart  of  the 
Eternal  as  He  looks  down  in  compassion  upon 
weak,  erring,  sinful  humanity.  He  is  touched 
with  the  feeling  of  our  infirmities.  Therefore, 
even  as  an  earthly  parent  gives  bread  to  his 
hungry  children,  so  God  is  ready  to  impart  Him- 
self and  every  perfect  gift  to  whomsoever  calls 
upon  His  Holy  Name.^ 

How  can  Jesus  save  unless  He  speaks  the  truth 
about  man?     Who  is  man? 

*'Man  is  a  worm!"  reply  the  Scribes  and  Phari- 
sees with  mock  humiHty. 

*'Not  so!"  says  Jesus.  Man  is  the  child  of 
God,  made  in  the  image  of  the  Father,  immeas- 
urably exalted  above  every  other  creature 
through  the  gift  of  mind  and  conscience.  He 
comes  from  God,  and  he  is  going  to  God.  Even 
in  the  publicans  and  sinners,  buried  under  the 
filth  of  sin,  is  the  divine  spark  which  may  be  blown 
into  a  flame  of  consuming  righteousness  when  ^"^ 
played  upon  by  the  Holy  Spirit.  The  lost  coin  '^ 
has  not  lost  its  value.  The  image  and  superscrip- 
tion of  the  King  are  stamped  upon  it.  If  found 
it  can  be  restored  to  circulation.     God's  purpose 

"Luke  II  :i2. 


34  Why  Do  the  Good  Suffer? 

is  to  find  that  which  is  lost.  Therefore  His  Spirit 
moves  over  the  vast  chaos  of  sin,  reclaiming,  re- 
freshing, redeeming,  restoring. 

How  can  Jesus  save  unless  He  tells  the  truth 
about  religion?    What  is  religion? 

^'Religion,"  reply  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees, 
"consists  in  the  faithful  observance  of  the  sacred 
law;  it  consists  of  feasts,  fasts,  sacrifices  and  pil- 
grimages; it  finds  its  deepest  satisfaction  in 
ceremonial  purity,  in  the  keeping  of  the  Sabbath, 
in  the  repetition  of  long  prayers,  preferably  in 
public  places,  in  the  wearing  of  philacteries,  and 
in  exploring  the  mysteries  of  mint,  and  anise,  and 
cummin." 

"Not  so !"  says  Jesus.  Religion  is  the  realiza- 
tion of  the  presence  of  God  in  the  believer's  soul, 
and  the  consistent  effort  to  organize  one's  life  in 
harmony  with  the  divine  Will.^^  Pure  and  unde- 
filed  religion  is  concerned  not  with  tradition  and 
precedent,  but  with  principles.  Truth,  justice, 
mercy, — service,  sacrifice,  faith, — loyalty,  hope, 
courage, — ^these  are  some  of  the  foundation 
stones  upon  which  rests  the  life  that  is  hid  with 
Christ  in  God. 

"Matt.  7:21. 


Why  Do  the  Good  Suffer?  35 

How  is  Jesus  going  to  save  unless  He  tells  the 
truth  concerning  the  fate  of  the  soul? 

"If  a  man  die,  shall  he  live  again?" 

"Yes,"  reply  the  Pharisees,  *'in  the  nether 
world, — that  dark,  shadowy  place,  where  man 
forever  mourns  the  earthly  life  left  behind." 

"Nothing  of  the  sort,"  reply  the  Sadducees, 
poking  fun  at  the  very  idea  by  inventing  a  hypo- 
thetical case  in  which  the  same  woman  marries 
seven  brothers  in  succession  as  fast  as  the  pre- 
ceding one  is  dead  and  buried, — only  to  ask  with 
a  sneer,  "And  now  in  the  resurrection,  whose 
wife  shall  she  be?" 

"Yes,"  calmly  and  confidently  asserts  the  Lord 
Jesus.  "Have  ye  not  read  that  which  was  spoken 
unto  you  by  God,  saying:  *I  am  the  God  of 
Abraham,  and  the  God  of  Isaac,  and  the  God  of 
Jacob?'  God  is  not  the  God  of  the  dead,  but  of 
the  living!"  ^^  Abraham  has  quitted  this  life 
centuries  ago,  and  yet  God  speaks  of  him  as  if  he 
were  living,  for  the  simple  reason  that  Abraham, 
and  all  who  have  passed  out  of  the  temporal 
order  are  living  somewhere  in  the  Father's  house. 
If  those  who  leave  us  are  extinguished  as  a  candle 

"Mark  12:26-27. 


36  Why  Do  the  Good  Sufferf 

by  the  wind,  then  God  presides  over  a  vast  ceme- 
tery filled  with  the  bones  and  broken  hopes  of 
countless  generations.  Which  is  unthinkable! 
Therefore-,  "in  my  Father's  house  are  many  man- 
sions," enough  to  hold  the  vast  throngs  pouring 
out  of  time  into  eternity.  If  it  were  not  so,  the 
truth  loving,  the  gentlemanly  Jesus  would  have 
told  us !  12 

God  of  the  living,  in  whose  eyes 
Unveiled  Thy  whole  creation  lies. 
All  souls  are  thine :  we  must  not  say 
That  those  are  dead  who  pass  away; 
From  this  our  world  of  flesh  set  free, 
We  know  them  living  unto  Thee. 

Released  from  earthly  toil  and  strife. 

With  Thee  is  hidden  still  their  life; 

Thine    are    their    thoughts,    their    works,    their 

powers. 
All  Thine,  and  yet  most  truly  ours ; 
For  well  we  know,  where'er  they  be, 
Our  dead  are  living  unto  Thee. 

Not  spilt  like  water  on  the  ground. 

Not  wrapped  in  dreamless  sleep  profound, 

"John  14:3-3. 


Why  Do  the  Good  Suffer?  37 

Not  wandering  in  unknown  despair 
Beyond  Thy  voice,  Thine  arm,  Thy  care; 
Not  left  to  lie  like  fallen  tree: 
Not  dead,  but  living  unto  Thee. 

Thy  word  is  true,  Thy  will  is  just; 
To  Thee  we  leave  them,  Lord,  in  trust; 
And  bless  Thee  for  the  love  which  gave 
Thy  Son  to  fill  a  human  grave. 
That  none  might  fear  that  world  to  see. 
Where  all  are  living  unto  Thee.^^ 

In  this  quiet  manner  the  Prophet  of  Nazareth 
went  about  speaking  the  truth  by  which  men  were 
to  pass,  as  through  a  door,  into  the  presence  of 
their  Heavenly  Father.  And  there  could  be  but 
one  ending  to  this  glorious  mission,  for  there  is 
something  in  the  truth  which  stirs  the  very  Devil 
in  the  hearts  of  men. 

As  the  regularly  accredited  religious  teachers 
of  Israel  witnessed  the  marvelous  power  wielded 
by  the  Carpenter  upon  the  common  people;  as 
they  heard  them  remark  with  feeling:  "He 
speaks  with  authority  and  not  as  the  Scribes" ;  ^^ 

"J.  Ellerton,  1871. 
"Matt.  7:29. 


38  Why  Do  the  Good  Suffer? 

as  they  saw  His  gospel  slowly  undermining 
their  ancient  institutions,  (the  temple,  the 
priesthood,  the  sacrifice, — covered  as  they  were 
with  the  moss  of  tradition,  and  the  poison-ivy 
of  superstition) ,  institutions  which  they,  in  their 
blindness,  conceived  as  perfect  and  final,  they 
were  filled  with  rage.  Their  religious  fanaticism 
was  kindled  to  white  heat.  In  the  name  of  the 
God  of  their  fathers,  and  for  His  greater  glory, 
the  voice  of  this  unauthorized  itinerant  preacher 
must  be  silenced  in  death ! 

"Then  were  gathered  together  the  chief 
priests,  and  the  elders  of  the  people,  unto  the 
court  of  the  high  priest,  who  was  called  Caiaphas ; 
and  they  took  counsel  together  that  they  might 
take  Jesus  by  subtlety  and  kill  him.''  ^^ 

There  could  be  but  one  ending  to  the  Master's 
mission.  Jesus  did  not  deceive  Himself  into  sup- 
posing that  He  would  escape  the  lot  of  the 
prophets  who  had  preceded  Him.  Therefore  it 
was  not  long  after  the  opening  of  His  public  min- 
istry before  He  began  to  tell  His  friends  that  if 
they  would  be  His  disciples  they  must  take  up 

"Matt.  26:3-4. 


Why  Do  the  Good  Suffer?  39 

their  crosses  daily  and  follow  him.^^  For  who- 
soever starts  out  to  save  his  life  inevitably  loses 
it,  and  whosoever  deliberately  throws  away  his 
life  in  the  interest  of  a  glorious  cause  ends  by 
finding  it.  And  certainly,  it  will  profit  a  man 
nothing  if  he  should  gain  the  whole  world  and 
lose  his  own  soul;  and  what  can  a  man  get  out  of 
the  material  order  that  can  ever  take  the  place  of 
a  life  glowing  with  the  power  and  love  of  God.^"^ 
The  harvest  comes  because  the  seed  in  the  ground 
is  reabsorbed  in  the  bosom  of  mother  nature.  So, 
unless  a  grain  of  wheat  falls  into  the  ground  and 
die  it  abideth  alone.^^ 

It  was  not  long  before  Jesus  found  occasion 
to  rebuke  Peter  for  suggesting  a  policy  of  safety 
first.^^  The  Son  of  Man  sets  His  face  stead- 
fastly toward  Jerusalem,  knowing  full  well  what 
awaits  him  there. ^^  Jerusalem  for  Jesus  stands 
for  fearless  proclamation  of  God's  character  and 
program,  for  strife,  misrepresentation,  insult, 
false  accusation,  arrest,  mock  trial,  condemnation, 

^'Luke  9:23. 
"Matt.  16:24-26. 
^^John  12:24. 
"Mark  8:33. 
^'Luke  9:51. 


40  Why  Do  the  Good  Suffer? 

torture,  ridicule, — the  cross  on  Calvary.  But 
what  does  it  matter  to  Him,  the  Chief  among  ten 
thousand ! 

"And  I,'  if  I  be  lifted  up  from  the  earth,  will 
draw  all  men  unto  myself."  ^^ 


Never  in  the  tragic  history  of  this  old  world  of 
ours  were  the  ranks  of  the  willing,  eager,  vicari- 
ous sufferers  augmented  by  such  vast  numbers  as 
during  the  years  of  the  world  war.  Literally  mil- 
lions of  men  and  women,  from  the  highest  to  the 
lowest,  took  the  stand  that  it  did  not  matter  what 
might  happen  to  them, — they  might  be  torpedoed 
on  the  high  seas  and  drowned  like  rats,  they  might 
be  blown  to  bits  by  high  explosives,  they  might  be 
mutilated,  or  blinded,  they  might  rot  in  the 
trenches  and  dug-outs  of  Flanders,  they  might 
perish  from  heat,  or  cold,  or  hunger,  or  thirst, — 
it  did  not  matter  what  happened  to  them,  so  long 
as  the  spiritual  heritage,  and  priceless  rights  of 
mankind  were,  through  their  sacrifices,  preserved 
and  vindicated  for  all  time. 

On  a  gloomy  afternoon  in  January,  191 8,  the 

"^John  12:32. 


Why  Do  the  Good  Sufferf  41 

very  day  after  Paris  had  passed  through  a  mur- 
derous aeroplane  raid  in  which  scores  of  innocent 
folk  had  been  killed  or  maimed,  the  writer  hap- 
pened to  stroll  into  the  vestibule  of  the  Sorbonne. 
The  walls  of  that  great  hall  are  covered  with 
thousands  of  cards,  each  card  four  inches  square, 
each  card  recording  the  deeds  of  some  professor, 
or  instructor,  or  graduate,  or  student  of  that  great 
college  who  has  perished  on  the  battlefields  of 
Europe  that  France  may  live. 

*'They  saved  others,  themselves  they  could  not 
save." 

It  is  said  that  Oxford  alone  has  lost  during  the 
world  war,  twenty  thousand  men  who  at  some 
time  or  other  have  been  identified  with  the  col- 
leges of  that  centre  of  learning.  And  much  the 
same  proportion  holds  good  for  all  other  British 
universities. 

"They  saved  others,  themselves  they  could  not 
save." 

During  the  terrific  fighting  of  19 16  around 
Verdun  a  French  officer  spied  an  old  woman  wan- 
dering aimlessly  in  No  Man's  Land.    A  corporal's 


42  JVhy  Do  the  Good  Suffer? 

guard  was  sent  out  to  arrest  her.  The  petty 
officer  demanded  to  know  why  she  was  breaking 
the  stringent  regulation  against  civilians  ventur- 
ing into  the  fighting  zone.  The  old  woman  ex- 
plained that  at  the  beginning  of  the  war  she  had 
seven  sons,  that  six  of  them  had  fallen  in  battle 
at  various  times,  and  that  she  had  just  received 
word  that  her  seventh  and  youngest  had  been 
killed  at  Verdun.  She  had  come  in  the  vain  hope 
of  locating  his  grave. 

Instantly  the  corporal  commanded  his  men  to 
present  arms.  And  the  peasant  woman,  waving 
her  right  hand  over  her  head,  cried  out : 

"Vive  la  France!" 

Now  we  understand  why  it  is  that  the  best 
suffer  most.  It  is  because  they  are  more  alive  to 
the  issues  of  life,  because  they  are  more  respon- 
sive to  the  summons  of  duty,  and  to  the  appeal 
of  honor.  With  them,  Noblesse  Oblige.  They 
are  spiritually  akin  to  the  disciples  of  old,  who 
having  been  cast  into  dark  dungeons,  beaten  with 
many  rods,  and  threatened  with  dire  conse- 
quences should  they  ever  dare  to  proclaim  again 
the  name  of  Jesus,  went  home  ''rejoicing  that  they 


Why  Do  the  Good  Suffer?  43 

had  been  counted  worthy  to  suffer  dishonor  for 
that  Name.22 

Why  do  the  good  suffer? 

In  order  that  their  honesty,  sincerity,  disinter- 
estedness may  be  established  beyond  question; 
they  suffer  that  they  may  pass  from  goodness  to 
perfection;  they  suffer  that  the  moral  law  may  be 
exalted;  they  suffer  since  man  is  moving  from 
ignorance  and  foolishness  into  knowledge  and 
wisdom,  paying  as  he  goes;  they  suffer  because 
life  is  vicarious  both  negatively  and  positively. 
For  all  these  reasons  good  men  suffer. 

"Acts  5:41. 


IV 


But  does  this  analysis  exhaust  the  subject?  Is 
the  question  answered  in  full?  Do  not  things 
happen  for  which  there  Is  no  explanation?  Does 
not  the  time  come  when  he  who,  like  Job's  com- 
forters, attempts  to  explain  why  calamity  after 
calamity  overtakes  the  innocent,  runs  the  risk  of 
insulting  the  intelligence  and  outraging  the  con- 
science of  him  who  sits  on  the  ash  heap  of  his 
hopes? 

Ellphaz  the  Temanlte,  and  Bildad  the  Shuhlte, 
and  Zophar  the  Naamite  came  to  comfort  Job  in 
his  unutterable  grief.  And  when  they  lifted  up 
their  eyes  afar  off,  and  knew  him  not,  they  raised 
their  voices  In  lamentation,  and  wept.  "And  they 
rent  every  one  his  robe,  and  sprinkled  dust  upon 
their  heads  toward  heaven.  So  they  sat  down 
with  him  upon  the  ground  seven  days  and  seven 
nights,  and  none  spake  a  word  unto  him;  for  they 
saw  that  his  grief  was  very  great."  ^ 

*Job  3:12-13. 

44 


Why  Do   the  Good  Suferf  45 

So  long  as  these  three  men  remained  silent 
their  consolations  were  effective.  What  a  pity 
that  they  ever  opened  their  mouths  to  speak  I 

Things  happen  which  seem  to  proclaim  that  the 
universe  Is  ruled  by  malignant  spirits. 

In  the  city  of  Florence,  hard  by  the  Santa 
Trinlta  bridge,  resting  on  a  massive  base,  rises  a 
great  granite  column,  surmounted  by  an  heroic 
and  gilded  statue  of  Justice,  holding  a  sword  In 
Its  right  hand,  and  a  pair  of  scales  in  Its  left. 
The  statue  Is  nearly  fifty  feet  from  the  pavement. 

About  the  middle  of  the  last  century  a  proud 
and  wealthy  lady  lived  In  an  apartment  nearly 
opposite  this  monument.  She  was  the  envied 
possessor  of  a  priceless  collection  of  jewels,  and 
her  dearest  ornament  was  a  string  of  faultless 
pearls. 

One  morning  the  great  lady  was  sitting  by  her 
dressing  table,  and  her  maid  was  by  her  side 
assisting  her  to  dress.  The  glittering  jewels  were 
scattered  on  the  table,  which  stood  by  an  open 
window  through  which  poured  a  flood  of  sun- 
shine. Her  toilet  completed,  the  lady  went  out 
for  her  morning  ride,  leaving  her  maid,  whom  she 
Implicitly  trusted,  to  lock  up  the  precious  gems. 


46  Why  Do  the  Good  Suferf 

That  evening  the  proud  matron  called  for  her 
string  of  pearls.  She  was  going  to  a  great  social 
function,  and  she  proposed  to  shine  among  her 
peers.  But  the  necklace  was  missing.  Every 
nook  and  corner  of  the  apartment  was  searched  in 
vain.    The  stones  were  nowhere  to  be  found. 

Of  course  the  police  was  called  in.  Of  course 
the  maid-in-waiting  was  accused  of  the  theft.  No 
other  human  being  had  been  there  from  the  time 
the  lady  had  gone  for  her  morning  ride  until  her 
return,  and  the  pearls  were  lying  on  the  dressing 
table  when  she  left  the  room.  Who  else  could 
have  taken  them?  Circumstantial  evidence  made 
all  this  quite  clear. 

Of  course  the  maid  passionately  protested  her 
innocence,  and  of  course  she  was  arrested,  tried, 
convicted,  sentenced  to  a  term  of  years  at  hard 
labor;  and,  when  finally  released,  thrown  out  on 
the  street  to  eke  out  a  miserable  existence, 
despised  and  disgraced. 

Years  came  and  went.  Florence  continued  to 
live  its  usual  life  of  joy  and  sorrow,  happiness 
and  misery.  At  last  the  municipality  decided  that 
it  was  time  to  regild  the  heroic  statue  of  Justice 
towering  above  the  ancient  city  by  the  Arno.  The 


Why  Do  the  Good  Suffer?  47 

scaffolding  was  erected,  the  workmen  climbed  to 
Its  summit,  and  began  to  remove  the  dust  and 
filth  of  a  hundred  years. 

And  what  did  they  find?  In  one  of  the  deep 
plates  of  the  scales  held  aloft  by  the  symbol  of 
Justice,  were  the  remains  of  a  large  bird's  nest, 
and  hidden  among  the  debris  rested  the  stolen 
string  of  pearls.  But  the  innocent  and  falsely 
accused  servant  was  dead  of  want  and  a  broken 
heart,  and  It  was  beyond  the  power  of  accuser, 
police,  judge,  jury,  and  prosecuting  attorney  to 
atone  for  their  frightful  blunder.  How  could 
they  know  that  certain  birds  are  fascinated  by 
the  ghtter  of  jewels?  and  how  could  they  guess 
that  one  such  bird  had  made  off  with  the  missing 
string  of  pearls  to  use  as  a  foundation  for  its 
nest? 

However,  the  heroic  statue  of  Justice,  with  its 
sword  and  its  scales,  was  regllded,  so  that  it 
might  impressively  continue  to  proclaim  the 
legend  that  law  and  fair  play  rule  among  men. 
But  what  would  have  been  the  thoughts  of  that 
statue,  should  it  have  been  miraculously  endowed 
with  Intelligence  and  conscience,  as  it  kept  on 
looking  down  upon  the  great  city  with  Its  throb- 


48  Why  Do  the  Good  Suffer? 

bing  and  tragic  life !  Is  it  not  true  that  in  the 
name  of  justice,  religion,  morals,  and  every  other 
virtue  known  and  practiced  in  Heaven,  some 
great  wrongs  have  been,  and  still  are  daily,  com- 
mitted down  here  upon  earth? 

Things  happen  for  which  no  explanation  is. 
possible.  The  time  comes  in  the  lives  of  some 
good  men  when  they  are  face  to  face  with  the 
infinite  mystery  of  life. 

Jesus  reached  that  point.  As  He  looked  down 
from  the  cross  on  the  sneering  Pharisees,  and 
heard  the  insulting  jeers  of  the  demented  crowd 
whom  He  had  lived  to  serve  and  bless,  the  dark 
impenetrable  clouds  of  doubt  closed  down  upon 
His  mind,  and,  out  of  the  darkness  He  cried  out 
unto  heaven,  "My  God,  my  God,  why  hast  thou 
forsaken  Me?"  ^ 

That  cry  is  a  solemn  and  heart-breaking  indict- 
ment of  the  providential  order.  What  can  be 
said  in  favor  of  a  universe  which  allows  Jesus  of 
Nazareth  to  be  crucified  between  two  thieves! 

What  shall  we  do  when  we  are  face  to  face 
with  the  infinite  mystery  of  life? 

Exactly  what  Jesus  did.    All  His  life,  from  the 

^Mark  14:34. 


Why  Do  the  Good  Suffer?  49 

days  of  His  boyhood  as  He  ''increased  in  wisdom 
and  in  stature,  and  in  favor  with  God  and  with 
nian,i"  *  in  the  days  of  His  youth,  when  He 
laboured  in  the  village  carpenter's  shop,  remain- 
ing obedient  and  subject  to  His  earthly  parents;* 
all  through  the  years  of  His  manhood,  whether 
tempted  in  the  wilderness  or  confronted  by  men's 
needs,  He  walked  by  faith.  ^  Hence  it  is  not  sur- 
prising that  the  moment  of  despair  on  Golgotha 
soon  was  over.  The  habit  of  a  lifetime  reas- 
serted itself  even  during  the  agony  and  shame  of 
the  cross.  With  His  last  breath  we  hear  Him 
murmur: 

"Father,    into    thy    hands    I     commend    my 
Spirit."  « 


The  book  of  Job  closes  with  a  mighty  appeal 
to  walk  by  faith.  When  the  heated,  and  imper- 
fect arguments  of  the  disputants  are  ended,  and 
the  baffling  question.  Why  do  the  good  suffer?  is 

^Luke  2:52. 
*Luke  2:51. 
"Matt.  4:4. 
*Luke  23:46. 


50  Why  Do  the  Good  Suffer? 

only  partially  answered,  the  anonymous  author  of 
the  sacred  drama  ushers  Jehovah  upon  the  stage 
to  speak  for  Himself. 

But  does  the  Eternal  argue?  On  the  contrary, 
He  causeth  the  universe,  as  it  were,  to  pass  in 
review  before  this  broken  man  whose  soul  is  so 
full  of  protest  and  despair.  The  treasures  of  the 
hills  and  fields,  of  the  rivers  and  the  sea ;  the  mar- 
velous creatures  which  roam  above  and  beneath 
the  earth;  the  wonders  of  the  heavens, — sun, 
moon,  and  stars, — the  Pleiades,  Orion,  and  the 
Milky  Way, — all  these  move  majestically  before 
Job,  proclaiming  that  everlasting  goodness  and 
perfect  harmony  reign  supreme  at  the  heart  of 
the  Eternal.  '^ 

It  Is  at  this  point  that  the  climax  of  the  book 
of  Job  Is  reached.  The  disfigured  and  distracted 
leper  is  suddenly  overwhelmed  by  the  realization 
that  his  Hfe  is  still  in  the  Divine  keeping.  Lifting 
his  hands  to  the  calm  and  serene  heavens  above 
him,  he  utters  the  triumphant  cry  of  faith : 

''I  had  heard  of  Thee  by  the  hearing  of  the  ear; 
But  now  mine  eye  seeth  thee."  ^ 

'Job  34:41. 
'Job  4^:5. 


Why  Do  the  Good  Suffer?  51 

And  so  with  us.  When  the  black  clouds  of 
grief  close  down  upon  us  and  we  are  face  to  face 
with  the  infinite  mystery  of  life,  and  our  well- 
meaning  friends  distract  us  by  their  vain  chatter, 
we  will  walk  by  faith  in  the  Eternal  Goodness. 

Never  shall  we  surrender  our  reason.  We  will 
follow  it  as  far  as  it  can  lead  us,  and  as  long  as 
it  lasts.  But  when  reason  fails, — standing  on  its 
uttermost  edge,  we  shall  take  the  long  leap  in  the 
dark,  we  shall  stretch, 

**lame  hands  of  faith," 

and  grope  for  the  hem  of  God's  garment,  we  shall 
ask  the  ancient  question  which  admits  of  a  single 
answer: 

''Shall  not  the  Judge  of  all  the  earth  do 
right?"  « 

'Gen.  18:35. 


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